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Abarth specialists · Maidstone, Kent · Est. 2011
Abarth tuning.
Abarth tuning.
Which turbo have you got?
Every Abarth 500, 595 and 695 uses the same 1.4 T-Jet - but what we can safely get out of yours depends on whether it left the factory with the IHI or the Garrett turbocharger. Anyone quoting one figure for “an Abarth” hasn’t asked yet.
Mapped and proved on our own 2,000bhp Mustang 4WD linked dyno in Kent.
Start here
First, which turbo
The quickest way to tell is the power figure on your V5C. Same engine, two very different ceilings - which is why we quote two sets of figures rather than one headline number.
IHI turbo
135, 140, 145 and 160bhp
The 500 and 500C, the 500 Esseesse, the 595 and 595C Turismo, and the earlier 595 Competizione.
170BHP · 172PS
290Nm · 214 lb/ft
JFA Stage 1, from standard.
- Fuel maps, ignition, boost, throttle, rev limiter, launch control, VVT
- Pops & bangs crackle map available
- Dyno session with before and after figures
Garrett turbo
165, 180 and 190bhp
The 595 Competizione from 2015 on, the 695, the 695 Tributo Ferrari, the 695 Biposto and the 695 XSR Yamaha.
195BHP · 198PS
320Nm · 236 lb/ft
JFA Stage 1, from standard.
- Same parameters, written for the larger turbo’s headroom
- Pops & bangs crackle map available
- Dyno session with before and after figures
Two other things change what is possible
The ECU: early cars run Bosch ME7.9.10, most 595s run Bosch ME17.3.0, and the MultiAir cars use Magneti Marelli 8GMK. The gearbox: the automated manual (MTA) cars need the torque curve shaped differently to the manuals, or the shifts turn harsh.
Every Stage 1 tune is covered by our 30 day money back guarantee, with lifetime support and free map removal if you sell the car.
The smaller turbo
How far the IHI cars go
On the smaller turbo the turbocharger itself is the ceiling. This is the honest order to do things in, and what each step is actually worth.
01
Software only
165-170bhp · 275-280Nm
A remap on an otherwise standard car. Add a Ramair or Forge induction kit and it becomes 170bhp and 280-290Nm. We don’t recommend an upgraded panel filter on its own - the stock airbox is a restrictive design a better filter can’t fix.
02
Stage 1.5 · exhaust
170-175bhp · 300-310Nm
Sports cat, Scorpion exhaust, induction kit and software. A 200-cell sports cat, not a decat - it keeps the car MOT legal and the turbo at its optimal speed, worth up to 40Nm more torque than a decat for 1-2bhp off peak. Not a close call.
03
Stage 2 · cooling
175-185bhp · 310-330Nm
Two small intercooler cores and a mass of pipework come out; one front-mounted intercooler goes in. Airtec is cheaper but needs the lower crash bar removed; Forge costs more, fits better and keeps it. Stage 2 is the maximum the IHI turbo has in it.
04
Stage 3 · a new turbo
260bhp · 375Nm
Past Stage 2 the injectors can no longer supply enough fuel and the boost sensors can’t read high enough. The turbocharger has to be replaced - which is what the JFA260 kit below is.
On the Garrett cars
The 165, 180 and 190bhp cars use the larger Garrett turbo. Stage 1 there is 195bhp and 320Nm, measured on our own dyno. Because that turbo has more headroom than the IHI, Stage 2 is exhaust and induction work with a map built for your car on the rolling road, and we quote it per car rather than against a single number - what is already fitted changes the answer. Tell us what you have and what you are after and we will tell you what is realistic, including when Stage 1 is as far as your car sensibly needs to go.
Stage 3
The JFA260 kit
A standard 135bhp car to 260bhp, road legal, without compromising emissions to make the power.
Because the Abarth is light, that takes the power-to-weight ratio up towards a Lotus Exige. It uses a more modern turbocharger than other kits on the market, so it makes boost 1,200rpm earlier and the lag most Stage 3 conversions suffer from is kept to a minimum.
260bhp is the maximum safe level for standard engine internals. The kit will make 280bhp+ with strengthened internals, and the turbo itself is good for over 300bhp - so if you want more later, you don’t throw away the parts you’ve just fitted.
Fitting takes 12-14 hours with a qualified technician. The car has to be re-tuned afterwards: the 380cc injectors need scaling in, so do the new manifold and charge pressure sensors, and the rear O2 diagnostics need disabling or it will throw a catalyst efficiency light.
260BHP from 135
375Nm
12-14Hours to fit
A Stage 3 conversion is priced on your own car - which turbo it has, what is already fitted and what you want from it. Put your registration into the builder and we will come back with the figures and the cost for yours.
Price it for my car →What’s in the kit
- Turbo Technics S260 turbocharger
- 4 × 380cc Bosch / Ferrari injectors
- Bosch manifold & charge sensor kit
- 200-cell sports cat downpipe
- Scorpion full 2.5″ exhaust system
- Forge front-mounted intercooler kit
- Forge induction kit
- Silicone turbo intake and intercooler hoses
- Oil feed / return kit and gaskets
- Turbo manifold and downpipe gaskets, V-band clamp
- Hose clamp set
- Genuine oil filter
- 2 × 2l genuine Abarth 20W50 oil
While it’s with us
The rest of the car
The 1.4 T-Jet has a genuinely good noise in it that the factory silencer takes most of the character out of.
Abarth exhaust systems
Usually the next step after a map, and the change owners notice most. Ask us which system suits your car first - on the IHI cars some cat-backs trade away low-down response for very little.
See exhausts →Parts for your Abarth
Intercoolers, induction, sports cats and suspension, filtered to your exact car by registration.
Browse parts →Abarth servicing
Servicing and diagnostics to the manufacturer’s schedule, with our 85-point inspection.
See Abarth servicing →The full write-up
Our long-form Abarth tuning article, with the stage-by-stage detail behind this page.
Read the case study →Cars we map
500 & 500C500 Esseesse595 & 595C Turismo
595 Competizione695695 Tributo Ferrari
695 Biposto695 XSR Yamaha124 Spider 1.4 MultiAir
Grande PuntoPunto EvoPunto Esseesse
Not listed? Send us the registration and we’ll tell you exactly what we hold for it.
Straight answers
Abarth tuning questions
How do I know if my Abarth has the IHI or the Garrett turbo?
The power figure on your V5C. 135, 140, 145 and 160bhp cars have the IHI.
165, 180 and 190bhp cars have the Garrett. If you’re not sure, send us the registration
and we’ll tell you.
What will Stage 1 give my car?
On an IHI car, 170bhp and 290Nm. On a Garrett car, 195bhp and
320Nm. Both measured on our own dyno, and both come with a 30 day money back
guarantee.
Should I fit a decat?
No. A 200-cell sports cat keeps the car MOT legal and keeps the turbo spinning
at its optimal speed - worth up to 40Nm more torque than a decat, at a cost of 1-2bhp
peak power.
How much is the 260bhp conversion?
It is priced on your car, because what it needs depends on which turbo you
have and what is already fitted. Put your registration into the
tuning builder and we will come back with the figures and the
cost for yours. Allow 12-14 hours for the fitting.
Will tuning affect my warranty?
It can, and anyone telling you flatly that it cannot is guessing.
Our warranty page sets out where you actually stand. We
also remove tuning maps free of charge if you sell the car.
Do I have to bring the car to Kent?
For a dyno-developed map, yes - that is the point of doing it on our own
rolling road. If you’re too far away, Powergate
and Touch Tune let you flash the car yourself at home
with our files on it.
Meet the team
The team behind every job
Technicians, calibrators and the front desk, all in Maidstone. No call centre and no subcontracting - the person who books you in is the person you can ask about the job.
Newsletter
Offers on parts and tuning, first
A short email now and then: new vehicle support, parts deals, open days. Nothing daily.